worthy
worthy — 形容詞
1. having good qualities that make other people think well of you and want to back
值得尊敬的
品德或行動值得受人尊敬、讚賞的
having good qualities that make other people think well of you and want to back you — used of a person, cause, or action.
Jude spent years doing volunteer work for several worthy causes in Kenya.
Jude 花了多年時間在肯亞為幾個有意義的公益事業擔任志工。
collocation: worthy cause
The committee agreed that Christopher was a worthy candidate for the teaching position.
委員會一致認為 Christopher 是那位教職的合適人選。
Hannah donated a large part of her savings to worthy charities helping homeless families.
Hannah 將大部分積蓄捐給了幫助無家可歸家庭的值得支持的慈善機構。
Nala received a worthy award for her work with young children after the earthquake.
Nala 因她在震後協助幼兒的工作而獲得一項殊榮。
- deserving
more direct about earning something through action; 'a deserving student'
- admirable
focuses on inspiring admiration rather than objective worth; 'an admirable effort'
- laudable
more formal, used for actions and efforts; 'a laudable attempt to reduce waste'
- meritorious
formal, typically in professional or academic contexts; 'meritorious service'
- unworthy
direct opposite, lacking the qualities that deserve respect; 'an unworthy successor'
- disreputable
having a bad reputation, the opposite of admirable; 'a disreputable organization'
文法句型
worthy + noun
worthy of + noun
常見錯誤
2. deserving to receive attention, consideration, or a particular response because
值得注意的
因本身重要性或趣味性而值得關注的
deserving to receive attention, consideration, or a particular response because of inherent importance or interest.
Professor Okonkwo believed the discovery was worthy of a full research paper.
Okonkwo 教授相信這項發現值得寫成一篇完整的研究論文。
pattern: worthy of + noun phrase
Ilan felt that the old woman's story was worthy of a book.
Ilan 覺得那位老太太的故事值得寫成一本書。
Sirin's opinion on the housing plan is worthy of serious attention from city leaders.
Sirin 對該住宅計畫的意見值得市府領導人認真看待。
That small detail may be worthy of closer examination later in the investigation.
那個小細節可能在後續調查中值得仔細檢視。
- deserving of
interchangeable in most cases; 'deserving of a prize'
- meriting
more formal, used in academic and legal writing; 'meriting further investigation'
- warranting
suggests that something justifies or calls for a response; 'a situation warranting immediate action'
文法句型
worthy of + noun phrase
worthy of + being + past participle
用法筆記
This sense is almost always followed by 'of' + noun phrase; it rarely appears directly before a noun. Distinguish from sense 1, where 'worthy' directly modifies the noun (e.g., 'a worthy cause').
3. having good moral or practical qualities but lacking excitement, creativity, or
不錯但乏味的
內容良好但缺乏趣味或創意
having good moral or practical qualities but lacking excitement, creativity, or entertainment value — often used of books, films, or speeches.
Inês found the documentary worthy but far too slow for her taste.
Inês 覺得那部紀錄片很有價值，但步調實在太慢了，不合她的胃口。
The novel was worthy and carefully researched yet failed to excite readers.
這本小說內容紮實且考據嚴謹，但未能引起讀者的興趣。
contrast structure: worthy but [negative outcome]
Caio's speech was full of worthy ideas but lacked any real passion.
Caio 的演講充滿了善意的主張，卻缺乏真正的熱情。
The exhibition was worthy in content but used boring displays and poor lighting.
這場展覽內容不錯，但使用無聊的陳列方式加上燈光不佳。
- well-meaning
similar tone but focuses on intention rather than outcome; 'a well-meaning but dull lecture'
- earnest
suggests sincere effort; can be positive or imply over-seriousness
- respectable
acknowledges quality without enthusiasm; 'a respectable but uninspired performance'
文法句型
worthy + noun
be + worthy
用法筆記
Often carries a mildly negative or disappointed tone — the speaker acknowledges value but finds the result unengaging. Common with cultural products (films, books, lectures).
4. having the right qualities or importance to match a particular role, opponent, o
相配的
在角色、競爭或情境中相匹配的
having the right qualities or importance to match a particular role, opponent, or situation — for example, a competitor who is as strong as you are, or a successor who carries on your work well.
The young boxer proved himself a worthy opponent in the championship final.
那位年輕拳擊手在冠軍決賽中證明自己不愧是勁敵。
collocation: worthy opponent
Bilal showed he was a worthy successor to the previous team captain.
Bilal 展現出自己是前任隊長的理想接班人。
collocation: worthy successor
Takeshi put up a worthy fight against the defending champion.
Takeshi 與衛冕冠軍展開了可敬的一戰。
The old piano was a worthy instrument for a beginner learning to play scales.
這台老鋼琴對初學音階的學生來說是台不錯的樂器。
- well-matched
specifically about two things being equal in ability; 'a well-matched pair of fighters'
- suitable
more general, no implication of equality; 'a suitable candidate'
- fitting
suggests something is appropriate in a satisfying way; 'a fitting tribute'
- unsuitable
not having the right qualities for a role; 'an unsuitable candidate'
- unequal
not matched in ability or strength; 'an unequal contest'
文法句型
worthy + noun
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense does not imply moral approval — it simply states that someone or something is suitable or well-matched to a particular role or situation. Frequently found in sports, competition, and succession contexts.
worthy — 形容詞構詞成分
1. used at the end of a word to mean 'good enough or safe enough to be used in a pa
適於…的
字尾，表示適合在特定環境安全使用
used at the end of a word to mean 'good enough or safe enough to be used in a particular place or situation' — combines with nouns such as 'sea', 'road', or 'air'.
The mechanic said the old truck was no longer roadworthy.
技師說那輛舊卡車已經不再適合上路了。
compound: roadworthy
Only seaworthy ships are permitted to leave the harbour after the storm.
暴風雨過後，只有適航的船隻才准許離開港口。
compound: seaworthy
The aircraft must be declared airworthy before every commercial flight.
這架飛機在每次商業飛行前都必須被認證為適航。
Safety checks at the garage ensure every bus remains roadworthy for passengers.
修車廠的安全檢查確保每輛公車仍然適合上路載客。
- unseaworthy
opposite of seaworthy; not safe at sea
- unroadworthy
opposite of roadworthy; not safe to drive
文法句型
[noun] + worthy
用法筆記
Commonly forms compound adjectives: 'seaworthy' (safe at sea), 'roadworthy' (safe on the road), 'airworthy' (safe to fly). These words are typically used after verbs like 'be', 'remain', or 'declare'.
2. used at the end of a word to mean 'having enough good qualities to deserve somet
可信的
字尾，表示值得信任、讚賞或信貸
used at the end of a word to mean 'having enough good qualities to deserve something such as trust, praise, or credit' — combines with nouns like 'trust', 'praise', or 'credit'.
The bank only approves loans for creditworthy applicants with stable jobs.
銀行只核准貸款給工作穩定的可靠申請人。
compound: creditworthy
A trustworthy babysitter is hard to find in this neighbourhood.
在這個社區裡很難找到值得信賴的保母。
compound: trustworthy
The local reporter produced a praiseworthy article about the hospital staff.
那位地方記者寫了一篇關於醫院員工的值得讚揚的報導。
Investors look for creditworthy companies with steady earnings every year.
投資人尋找每年獲利穩定的信譽良好的公司。
- untrustworthy
opposite of trustworthy; not deserving trust
- unworthy
general opposite; not deserving respect or attention
文法句型
[noun] + worthy
用法筆記
Forms compound adjectives such as 'trustworthy' (deserving trust), 'creditworthy' (deserving credit/financial trust), and 'praiseworthy' (deserving praise). Unlike sense 1 of this combining form, which is about physical safety in an environment, this sense is about moral or financial reliability.
worthy — 名詞
1. someone held in high regard within a community, especially a small town — often
要人
社區中備受尊敬的重要人士，常用複數
someone held in high regard within a community, especially a small town — often used playfully or with mild humour.
The local worthies gathered at the town hall to discuss the new library project.
地方上的重要人物齊聚市政廳討論新建圖書館的計畫。
plural: local worthies
Several village worthies posed for a photograph outside the newly built clinic.
幾位村裡的頭人在新落成的診所外合影留念。
The town's worthies decided to invest in a new community sports centre.
鎮上的頭面人物決定投資興建一座新的社區運動中心。
A group of local worthies attended the charity dinner to show their support.
一群地方要人出席了那場慈善晚宴以表達支持。
- dignitary
more formal and respectful, not humorous; 'diplomats and other dignitaries'
- notable
neutral tone, used for people of influence; 'local notables'
- bigwig
informal and slightly humorous like 'worthy', but wider in scope; 'media bigwigs'
- VIP
modern and widely used in business and events; 'VIP guests'
文法句型
the + worthies + of + place
local + worthies
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the plural form 'worthies'. The word can sound slightly old-fashioned or humorous — it is not commonly used in everyday conversation to refer to oneself or one's friends.
worthy — 字尾
1. used after nouns such as 'praise', 'blame', 'note', or 'trust' to form adjective
值得⋯的
字尾，接名詞形成值得⋯的形容詞
used after nouns such as 'praise', 'blame', 'note', or 'trust' to form adjectives meaning 'deserving or receiving something specified' — for example, a praiseworthy action deserves praise, a noteworthy event is worth noting.
Lina's dedication to the community was truly praiseworthy and inspired other volunteers.
Lina 對社區的奉獻精神確實值得讚揚，也鼓舞了其他志工。
compound: praiseworthy
The researchers made a noteworthy discovery about how birds navigate long distances.
研究人員有一項值得注意的發現，關於鳥類如何長途導航。
compound: noteworthy
His actions during the meeting were blameworthy and led to a formal complaint.
他在會議上的行為應受譴責，並引發了正式申訴。
A trustworthy mechanic will explain what repairs are needed before charging you anything.
值得信賴的技師會先說明需要哪些維修，然後再向你收費。
- deserving of
interchangeable; 'deserving of praise'
- meriting
more formal; 'meriting further investigation'
- unworthy of
direct opposite; 'unworthy of your attention'
文法句型
[noun] + worthy → compound adjective
常見錯誤
2. used to form adjectives that describe whether a vehicle, aircraft, or vessel is
耐…的
字尾：交通工具安全可用於某環境
used to form adjectives that describe whether a vehicle, aircraft, or vessel is in good enough condition to meet safety standards for a particular operating environment — for example, a ship that passes inspection is seaworthy, a car that passes safety checks is roadworthy.
The rescue boat was not seaworthy enough for the dangerous storm conditions.
那艘救難船不夠耐航，無法應付危險的暴風雨海況。
compound: seaworthy (boat safety)
After extensive repairs, the delivery van was declared roadworthy by the mechanic.
經過大規模修理後，那輛送貨廂型車被技師認定可安全上路。
compound: roadworthy (vehicle safety)
All passenger planes must be airworthy before they take off on any flight.
所有客機在起飛前都必須具備適航資格。
The fishing boat was fully seaworthy after the captain replaced the old engine.
船長更換了舊引擎之後，那艘漁船完全恢復了適航能力。
- unseaworthy
direct opposite of seaworthy; not safe to sail; 'an unseaworthy vessel'
文法句型
[noun] + worthy
用法筆記
Forms compound adjectives such as 'seaworthy' (judged safe for sea travel), 'roadworthy' (judged safe to drive), and 'airworthy' (judged safe to fly). These words reflect a conditional judgment of readiness after inspection — whether the vehicle passes the relevant safety standards.